Adult learning refers to education programs designed for adults. The study of the tools and the learning techniques in adult education is referred to as Andragogy. For successful adult learning, Andragogy performs on the fundamental assumptions that mature learners can connect the relevance of the material to their careers, accept responsibility for their education, focus on content application to problems, and are self-driven and internally motivated to learn (Sanger & Pavlova, 2016). Some of the benefits of adult learning include living fulfilled lives, nurturing creativity and imagination, and active participation in communities, civil society, and economic development. Learning in adulthood is a challenge to many people, but through the right motivation and learning techniques, adult learning can greatly benefit an individual's skills and capabilities (Foley, 2020). To motivate adult learners, teaching professionals promote and facilitate motivation techniques such as self-reflection, giving them chances to teach and share their experiences and expertise and building a community integrated with social media. Learning techniques such as brainstorming and hands-on drills and experiments have been of great significance to adult learning. The objective is to connect to integrate motivational with learning techniques to support active learning in adults.
Motivational Techniques Supporting Adult Learning
One of the most important ways of instilling motivation in adult learners at a class session is to share their experiences and expertise with the class. According to Vandenberg (2005), adults in a classroom comprise people with unique background knowledge or experience. They find pleasure and motivation when they are involved in sharing their knowledge with the rest of the team. By engaging them on their experience level, they build on what they already know, thus validating their expertise. Secondly, the teacher can induce adults' motivation by allowing them to relate to the material by reflecting on and reviewing the material to understand their relation to the content and its application in problem-solving. Levina (2015) suggests that after giving the students a reflection assignment, it is essential to let them volunteer to share their judgments, concerns, and issues before tackling their questions. It keeps the adults focused and motivated as they can relate the education benefits to their daily life problems and careers.
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In the age of technology, social media plays a vital role in adult learning motivation by building communities and integrating them with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Zoom. It provides for individuals' collaboration on several discussion topics by commenting and sharing knowledge, questions, and concerns. A teacher can facilitate live group discussions from virtually everywhere worldwide, and above all else, social media is fun (Malamed, 2016)). And finally, adults showed elevated motivational levels when exploration was facilitated during the learning process. Exploration facilitation refers to using various kinds of material in the learning session, such as infographics, references, podcasts, short videos, and available resources. By giving them a vast amount of research materials to explore, the information becomes easier to remember and apply to relevant problems.
Learning Techniques Supporting Adult Learning
However, it is essential to note that adults' motivation without proper learning techniques does not produce desirable results (Foley, 2020). The most crucial learning technique in Andragogy for engaging and efficiently teaching adults is brainstorming. Brainstorming refers to the team discussions aimed at developing and producing creative ideas around problems. It helps learners think out of the box and stimulate their imaginations, thereby incorporating their subconscious and conscious minds. Secondly, one-on-one practice and experimentation sessions have become increasingly valuable tools in teaching adults because, according to Ruhose et al. (2019), adults are a busy lot who are practical and learn extensively through doing. Therefore, teachers should concentrate on integrating real-life practical knowledge and skills into adult learning programs instead of excessive theories and facts, which increase boredom as adults cannot directly relate to the material or figure out its relation to their areas of expected expertise. It allows learners to try new skills and knowledge by its immediate application before leaving the learning session.
Furthermore, seminars have also been proven to be a great adult learning technique. According to Sanger and Pavlova (2016), seminar lessons are a format that requires students to report to their team members on specific predetermined topics of their own research. The advantages are that it strengthens friendly relationships between students, improves their self-confidence and sense of responsibility, and enhances learners' professional competence. Lastly, the technique commonly used in adult learning is lecture-visualization. This technique involves enhanced lecture materials displayed in the forms of images, slides, videos, structural schemes, logical schemes, diagrams, and synopses (UC Berkeley, 2021). The visual components serve to support, enhance their understanding and relation of content to their respective areas of professionalism and interest while keeping them motivated, and involved.
Discussions on Classroom Application of Techniques
Knowing the motivational and learning techniques provides us with insights into applying these strategies into the classroom to support adult learning. In her article "Facilitating adult learning: How to teach, so people learn," Vandenberg (2005) provides that adults will most probably engage in adult education when certain principles are met. First, the program must portray some aspects of personal benefit to the adult, such as whether it can help them avoid or solve problems or improve professional or personal growth. Secondly, the individual's experience must be utilized by involving them in sharing sessions by brainstorming on the content's critical elements (Vandenberg, 2005). Since they enjoy autonomy and self-direction, they have some control over the subjects they are being taught through decision-making in the content and process. When they are allowed to engage with the content freely, it is established that their motivation levels abound and learning greatly improved. To motivate adult learners, teaching experts encourage and facilitate motivation techniques such as self-reflection, giving learners chances to demonstrate and share their experiences and expertise and building a community integrated with social media. Learning techniques such as brainstorming and hands-on drills and experiments are of great significance to adult learning.
Conclusion
Andragogy provides the necessary criteria for engaging and keeping adults motivated throughout their learning periods. Adult learning through practical engagement in the classroom can significantly improve adults' creativity and imagination, improve their participation in community and civil development, and ensure that learners instill fertile learning habits to their children to love and fully embrace education. The authorities must consider Andragogy a vital tool in driving economic growth and improving citizens' personal and professional status. Research and policies that govern adult learning should be formulated to strengthen and enhance adult learning quality through campaigns and capacity building to enlighten the public that people can learn throughout their lives and become better versions of themselves.
References
Foley, G. (Ed.). (2020). Understanding adult education and training. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v6i4.6079
Levina, L. M., & Mariko, V. V. (2015). Effective ways of motivating adults for learning in professional field. Asian Social Science, 11(3), 235. DOI: 10.5539/ass.v11n3p235
Malamed, C. (2016). Get Your Audience Pumped: 30 Ways to Motivate Adult Learners. Retrieved 21 March 2021, from https://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/isd/30-ways-to-motivate-adult-learners/
Ruhose, J., Thomsen, S. L., & Weilage, I. (2019). The benefits of adult learning: Work-related training, social capital, and earnings. Economics of Education review, 72, 166-186.
Sanger, P., & Pavlova, I. (2016). Applying Andragogy to promote active learning in adult education in Russia.
UC Berkeley. (2021) Active Learning Strategies | Center for Teaching & Learning. Retrieved 21 March 2021, from https://teaching.berkeley.edu/active-learning-strategies
Vandenberg, L. (2005). Facilitating adult learning. How to teach so people learn. Retrieved from od. msue. msu. edu. https://www.canr.msu.edu/od/uploads/files/PD/Facilitating_Adult_Learning.pdf
